


The start of a new adventure

by magznus



Series: TPP [16]
Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alternate Universe - Benzaiten Steel Lives, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxiety, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:09:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26473915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magznus/pseuds/magznus
Summary: After the events of New Town, before Juno is able to call Jet, he moves in with his brother.
Relationships: Benzaiten Steel & Juno Steel, Rita & Juno Steel
Series: TPP [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1639732
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	The start of a new adventure

It had been over six months since the new town incident. In that time Juno had been working on working through all of his shit that he had refused to touch for years. Rita had been helping, the best she could. She hadn’t had a life anything like his, she was there for him when he would let her be, she made sure he ate and drank water and at least slept a little. But it was still hard for her, especially when he struggled to open up, to let her in.  
Moving in with Ben had been Mick’s idea originally. Juno had been essentially couch surfing between his and Rita’s place, and though his own apartment was technically fine, he refused to be there for longer than a few minutes on his own. Rita had tried staying the night with him, but even that was a struggle. So when Mick brought up Ben, Rita practically jumped at the idea.  
Juno remembered trying not to cringe, along with his two best friends Ben had been someone he had pushed away while working with Ramses, and reconnecting with him had been the hardest. In the, he hadn't really done it until then. But Rita and Mick had insisted, and Ben had welcomed him with open arms.  
So Juno found himself living in his brother’s apartment. It was nicer than his, better furnished and much bigger. It was in the nicer side of town and had a view of one of the bigger parks in the city. It was awkward at first, they hadn't lived together in years, but after a while, they started to get back into a rhythm.  
It was a familiar feeling living with his brother again, and one Juno welcomed after the year he had had. He hadn't realized how little he had talked to Benten in the last year until his brother looked him in the eye and asked how he had lost the other. He had stopped for a moment, remembering every moment of what had happened, and remembering how he had refused to talk about it at all.  
Juno still didn't want to talk about it. The guilt he felt over leaving Peter was still unbearable. But Ben got the simplified and pg-13 version of the story, a version that was overdramatized just right so Ben could ignore the real trauma in favor of thinking about how cool his twin brother was.  
They weren't perfect, and Juno wasn't sure if they ever would be. But they worked on it, together, and that all either of them wanted.  
***  
Juno had to call Jet. Hyperion city was toxic, the air had been suffocating him for years and he was only just beginning to be okay with leaving. But there was something holding him back  
Two something's actually.  
Rita had been easily convinced, ready to pack up her entire life just for him. She had left him in a hurry to go start packing as many streams and snacks as she could get her hands on.  
Juno didn't know how Ben would react, but he knew he couldn't leave without his brother. He had thought about it, for days, tried to rationalize that it wouldn't be forever, they would always be in contact. But the thought of living without his brother, even for just a little while was unimaginable.  
So Juno found himself sitting on the couch in his brother's living room, holding tightly onto a cup of tea he'd managed to make by himself while trying to calm his nerves. Ben was on his way home from work and Juno could only wait anxiously for him.  
When Juno heard the sound of his brother’s footsteps coming down the hallway he jumped up from the couch. He stood staring at the door until Ben opened it and stepped inside.  
“Hey Juno,” Ben smiled at him, looking confused to find his twin just standing in the living room staring at him. “What’s up?”  
“Oh, well, um I wanted to talk to you.” Juno sighed, “About the future, mine, and yours, and Rita’s.”  
“What do you mean Juno?”  
Juno took a deep breath and decided to let it all out in one go “I can’t stay here, not anymore. I feel like I need to get out like I’m stuck, but I can’t just leave on my own. I don’t know how long this is going to be, only a few months or forever but I just can’t go if it’s not with you and Rita. I need both of you there with me. I understand if that’s too big of an ask, I know it’s probably a lot and at the very least you’ll need to think about it and I understand and can wait.”  
“Wait, wait, Juno, what are you talking about? Where are you going?”  
“I...I’m not really sure, I just know I have to leave.”  
“Leave? Like the apartment? You know I love having you here and I’m just as willing to help you get back on your feet, move out on your own again if that’s what you want.”  
“No, Benten you’re not getting it. I need to leave the city, leave the planet. I can’t be here anymore.” Juno sat down heavily on the couch. “I just can’t do it anymore Benten.”  
Benten sat down next to his brother on the couch. “Okay. Do you have a plan?”  
“Yeah, kind of. When I um, left...when I disappeared, and had the Thea removed, I meant some people, and I’m going to call them.”  
“You said you needed me and Rita, did you mean you need our approval or-”  
“I need you to come with me. I can’t, I can’t leave you behind. So...if you don’t want to go I’ll understand. And I’ll stay.here.”  
“Have you already asked Rita?”  
“I don’t want you to make a choice based on-”  
“You did, didn’t you? What did she say.”  
“It doesn’t matter”  
“Juno, just tell me?”  
“I’m pretty sure she’s spent the day packing as many streams as she can. But that’s not important, I don’t want you to make a choice, thinking you have to because of what Rita and I want. That’s not fair to you.”  
“Juno, you really need to leave don’t you?”  
“Yeah.”  
“And you honestly will not go without us?”  
“Yes.”  
“Okay then, when are we leaving? I technically should put in a two weeks at work, and I need time to pack. But it doesn’t sound like we are going somewhere where that sort of stuff is gonna follow us.”  
Juno laughed, “No it wouldn’t be! Um, are you sure? I...you can take your time Ben, think about it. I know how much you love your job, oh god I shouldn’t have asked you can’t just leave like this!”  
“Juno, Juno it’s okay. I’ve actually been thinking about it for a little while. Not quite as drastic as what you’re suggesting. But still, I agree, I think it’s time for change Supersteel. So you give me the time and day and I’ll be ready to leave.”  
***  
Benten watched Rita’s face light up at the man in front of them told her she was a higher priority than Juno. He laughed as the other three continued the small interaction until the man, Jet, turned and gestured to him.  
“And your other condition?”  
Juno nodded, “My bother comes as well, I’m not leaving him behind.”  
“Buddy believed as much and prepared accordingly. And you” He addressed Benten “I do not know how much Juno has told you about us, are you willing to join us? We will not be working in the realm of the law.”  
“Yeah, Juno told me. Don’t worry I’m on board for whatever you’ve got planned, big guy.”  
“Good, then we should be going. Buddy and the others are waiting for us.”


End file.
